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Dubai, United Arab Emirates • Rory McIlroy sank a short birdie putt on the 18th hole Saturday to remain tied with Luke Donald as the world's two top-ranked golfers pulled three shots clear of a star-studded field after the third round of the Dubai World Championship.

The top-ranked McIlroy, who has already wrapped up the European and PGA Tour money titles, struggled early when he bogeyed the first hole and missed several makeable birdie putts. But he improved on the back nine, sinking a 30-foot eagle putt on 14 to go with three birdies for a 6-under 66.

Donald also had a 66 and is tied with McIlory with a 17-under total of 199.

"I've done a majority of my scoring this week on the back nine and that's the way it went today," McIlroy said. "Took me a few holes to adjust. But once I got comfortable, I started to hit some good shots and give myself opportunities for birdies."

Donald had his third consecutive bogey-free round and has now gone 100 holes at the Dubai tournament without one. If he wins Sunday without carding a bogey, he will match the feat of Sweden's Jesper Parnevik, who won the 1995 Scandinavian Masters without dropping a shot.

"I was, again, just trying to play solid golf, minimize mistakes," said Donald, who won in Japan last week to overtake Tiger Woods for the No. 2 spot in the rankings. "I guess it's a testament to how I play the game. I kind of keep the ball in front of me and, when I get in trouble, I've got a good short game to bail myself out."

South Africans Louis Oosthuizen (68) and Charl Schwartzel (67) are three shots back, while compatriot Branden Grace and Joostis Luiten of France are a further two shots behind.

Seven others are six shots off the pace, including Scotsman Marc Warren. 